5 Overlooked Swimmers Who had Stellar Summers; Claire Curzan Sharp at Pan Pacs (Women’s Edition)
This summer has not been short on elite performances, from Kate Douglass and Marrit Steenbergen rewriting the sprint-freestyle record books to Lani Pallister tripling at both the Commonwealth Games and Pan Pacific Championships. We appreciated the latest excellence from Gretchen Walsh in the 100-meter butterfly and Sara Curtis and Simona Quadarella carrying the mantle for Italy.
As much as the aforementioned athletes received their proper recognition, what about the individuals who were overshadowed – even in the slightest manner. Maybe a title was lost in the commotion of a world-record performance. Perhaps an athlete was overlooked due to the dynamic exploits of a countrywoman. Sometimes, further reflection is necessary to fully appreciate a body of work.
Here are five women who enjoyed strong summers, but might not have gotten the credit they deserved.
Jenna Forrester (Australia)
jenna-forrester-
Between the Commonwealth Games and Pan Pacific Championships, Jenna Forrester was superb. She jumpstarted her summer campaign with victories at Commonwealths in the 200 individual medley, 400 IM and 200 backstroke. Those efforts were complemented by a bronze medal in the 400 freestyle. A couple of weeks later, she added a silver medal in the 400 medley at Pan Pacs.
Forrester has been steadily formidable in the 400 IM, an event that yielded silver at last year’s World Championships in Singapore. On three occasions since June, Forrester has clocked 4:31, including a best of 4:31.19 at the Commonwealth Games. She also owns performances of 4:31.47 and 4:31.50, proof that she has taken a major step forward since her 4:33 best of a year ago. The next step is challenging the 4:30 barrier, territory visited by only six women in history.
Maya Werner (Germany)
The distance-freestyle events at the European Championships morphed into head-to-head duels between Italian Simona Quadarella and Germany’s Isabel Gose, Quadarella winning three gold medals to a trio of silvers for Gose from 400 meters through the 1500. In all three events, the bronze medalist was the same individual, Germany’s Maya Werner.
A training partner of Gose at the high-powered distance program in Magdeburg, mentored by Bernd Berkhahn, Werner’s podium appearances were made possible by three personal-best times. The 21-year-old clocked 4:03.73 in the 400 freestyle and 8:22.55 in the 800 free. In the 1500 freestyle, Werner touched the wall in 15:52.50 to join the sub-16 club.
Barbora Seemanova (Czech Republic)
Barbora Seemanova of Czechia.
A three-time Olympian, Barbora Seemanova has appeared in the past two Olympic finals in the 200 freestyle, finishing sixth on both occasions. She is a six-time medalist at the European Championships, highlighted by three titles in the 200 freestyle (2020, 2024, 2026). But prior to this summer, Seemanova hadn’t broken the 1:55 barrier in the 200 freestyle, which left her on the outside of medal contention at global championships.
En route to her third European gold in the 200 free, Seemanova made a major breakthrough, prevailing in 1:54.38, good for a championship and national record. Seemanova also moved up to No. 13 in the all-time rankings and will carry momentum into the march to LA28. Next year’s World Championships in Budapest will offer Seemanova an opportunity to cement her status as an Olympic-medal threat.
Claire Curzan (United States)
The rules utilized at the Pan Pacific Champs limit each country to a pair of swimmers in the championship final and a pair of swimmers in the consolation. Consequently, Claire Curzan only raced in one championship heat, the University of Virginia standout securing the silver medal in the 200 backstroke (2:06.44). Curzan was quicker in prelims, where she went 2:05.97.
Curzan also flourished in the 50 backstroke and 100 backstroke, winning the consolation final of each discipline. In the one-lap sprint, Curzan posted a best time of 27.42. In the 100 back, she followed a 58.21 outing in prelims with a 58.24 showing at night. The backstroke events in the United States are absloutely loaded with talent, which will make for intense Trials for the 2027 World Champs and 2028 Olympic Games.
Pauline Mahieu (France)
Thanks to a pair of European records in the 100 backstroke and a national record in the 50 backstroke, Mary-Ambre Moluh received the most attention among French backstrokers at the European Champs. But Pauline Mahieu earned a pair of visits to the podium, placing third in both the 100 backstroke and 200 backstroke.
In Paris, Mahieu cracked the 59-second barrier in the 100 backstroke for the first time, accomplishing the feat on two occasions. Her best of 58.77 arrived in the final of the event, handing her the bronze medal. Mahieu also took bronze in the 200 back, which she covered in 2:08.63. The 27-year-old veteran was a finalist in the 100 backstroke at the 2025 World Championships, and now finds herself a half-second faster in the event, a positive development for the future.
